A development of available operating statuses for electronic devices of all kinds is currently in progress, by means of which the operating statuses hitherto restricted to >>On<< and >>Off<< are augmented by further variants.
Known further variants of operating statuses comprise for example a state known in the technical world as >>Hibernation<< another known as >>Idle<< and a further one known as >>Standby<<. In addition further operating statuses are known, by means of which productive operation of an electronic device is temporarily suspended, which can subsequently be reactivated with brief preparations or delays, as would have been possible by means of an operating status change from the operating status >>off<<.
In components of production and manufacturing plants too, hereinafter referred to as plants, which in modern embodiments also always comprise electronic processors, in the wake of increased attention to the energy consumption of the components, extended operating statuses are increasingly implemented. Components should for example be taken to mean not only processing devices or robots of a production line, but also devices such as conveyor belts or motors, which are frequently provided with an at least minimal electronic controller and a more or less distinct communication interface for the exchange of process and operating data.
FIG. 4 shows an operating status model in the form of an automatic status system, by means of which energy management at component level is realized through the provision of operating statuses. A circle arranged at the left-hand edge of the operating status model symbolizes a first operating status IDL or >>Idle<< of the component, while a circle arranged in the center symbolizes a second operating status STB or >>Standby<< of the component and a circle arranged at the outer right-hand end symbolizes a third operating status HIB or >>Hibernate<< of the component.
Each operating status HIB, IDL, STB in the operating status model is provided with a quantity of parameters (not shown). Within this quantity of parameters, periods of time can for example be defined, which specify how long at the most or the least a respective operating status can be maintained. Changes of operating status between the individual operating statuses HIB, IDL, STB are symbolized by curved arrows. An operating status change from the first operating status IDL to the second operating status STB is possible, but from the second operating status STB to the third operating status HIB is not. Each change of status requires a certain period of time, which can likewise be defined by the operating status model.
An operating status model according to or similar to FIG. 4 is for example also provided for the energy management of an individual component of a plant according to the PROFIEnergy standard. The PROFIenergy standard further provides an interface to PROFINET. PROFINET (Process Field Network) is an open standard for the use of the Industrial Ethernet for automation purposes. An operating status change of individual components of a plant can be effected via the aforementioned interface.
The definition of an operating status change for an individual component leaves unsolved the problem as to how an operating status change of a plant consisting of a multiplicity of components is to be effected.
However it is precisely the complex interdependence of the components that poses a major challenge in the case of shut-down or powering-up or, generally speaking, during the operating status change of plants. Currently the sequence observation of components in a plant must be handled manually. No automatic support yet exists for identifying the interdependencies of a plant, so that this step too must be performed manually.